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Two young Eagle Owlets at about 8-1/2 to 9 weeks of age. They have left the nest and are being fed by their parents on the ground. They are still a bit helpless at this age, and would only chitter their distaste if disturbed. You can see a few feathers on the wings and back, but their heads, and breasts are still covered with down. They are quite clumsy at this stage, if you look you will see their talons are curled up and not grasping the earth properly yet.
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When the young have left the nest and are living on the ground, the parents are especially watchful and aggressive. Here their wary mother looks on quite worried at the light sounds made by the photographer who has popped the camera into the aviary door. One of the owlets has heard the sounds too and is showing defensive posture. In Eagle Owls, like all owls, one ear hole is larger than the other, this gives them the ability to triangulate sounds with surprising accuracy, and assists them in hunting at night.
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This photo shows the development of the Owlets plumage better than the above photos. The one on the left is curious about the sounds at the door and has decided to investigate. The other one has decided that it wants no part of whatever that scary noise was at the door of the aviary.
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"Oh, so that's what that sound was...."
In a few seconds the little ear tufts (more like ear flufts) will slowly rise on the top of this Owlet's head, as it begins to try to 'hide on the spot'. But we won't let it get that worried. So we are closing the aviary door and moving onto the next pair of birds.
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